The present invention relates to a novel and useful system for guiding a cutting tool having a cutting part.
The cutting of a design into a work piece has been accomplished in the past by first tracing the rendition of the pattern on the work piece and then following the tracing with the cutting tool. Although successful in producing a finished item, such a process is tedious, in certain cases inaccurate. The latter results from discrepancies inherent in the transfer of a design from a separate drawing or sketch to the work piece. In the past, special tracing papers have been used to achieve this result.
Other systems have been proposed to aid cutting tools in tracing or following a particular design. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,038,481, 5,285,708, and 5,461,790 show projected lighting devices attached to the tool which aid persons in sawing wood and other materials.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,885,967 and 5,446,635 describe laser alignment devices that permit cutting of work pieces along a projected laser beam which proceeds the moving cutting tool or work piece.
A system for guiding a cutting tool which permits the user to cut a design quickly, efficiently, and accurately would be a notable advance in the manufacturing arts.